Hannah Gardiner

Image of FoodSEqual PHD student Hannah Gardiner

Working Project Title: A ‘Community Food Researcher’ model: exploring the impact of community based research for food systems transformation
This PhD will explore the lived experiences and journeys of Community Food Researchers (CFRs) through creative and collaborative ethnographic methods. These are local community members being employed, trained and supported by FoodSEqual (Food Systems Equality) to carry out research in their own communities. The PhD will also investigate the impacts of the CFR intervention, as well as ‘entry points’ and barriers to the CFR model integrating into future food systems transformation research.

The outcomes will include recommendations on how the CFR model could support a more just and equitable food systems transformation.

Hannah is hosted in the Faculty of Health at the University of Plymouth. The lead supervisor is Dr Clare Pettinger. The full supervisory team also includes: Dr Louise Hunt, Professor Mary Hickson, and Dr Sally-Lloyd Evans.

Hannah’s interests and background

Hannah is passionate about the environment and societal change. Core interests include: food systems, behaviour change, social justice, climate justice, participatory research, innovation, and collaborative governance.

Previous work includes co-founding the clean-tech startup AirPublic (2015); this received funding through Climate-Kic, Future Cities Catapult, and Digital Catapult, and the work was published (Nowack et al, 2021). During this time Hannah also worked for the behavioural change charity London Sustainability Exchange (2015-17) where they created Pollinator Paths (2017), and collaborated in the development of surplus food distribution initiatives in several London boroughs. Prior to this, Hannah created socially engaged art projects, working nationally and internationally, including a project about the value of seeds and mapping the cultural foodscape of Lincolnshire.

During 2017-2019, Hannah worked on alternative land management models as Head of Consultancy for Shared Assets, and in this role they authored a report on community ownership and management of land​ (2018). Hannah became a One Young World Scholar in 2017, and in 2021 graduated from the Centre for Alternative Technology with an MSc in Sustainable Food and Natural Resource Use.